American Airlines Orders Boom Supersonic Jets

Boom, which revealed intentions to create a manufacturing facility for its supersonic passenger jets in January, inked a contract with American Airlines to provide 20 of those jets named Overture. The American made a payment of 20 jets and also kept an option to make another order of 40 jets. The projected production site for Boom Supersonic is at Piedmont Triad International Airport.

It follows Boom’s previous agreements with United Airlines and the US Air Force for orders for Greensboro-built planes. Overture is set to begin in 2025 and transport its first passengers in 2029.

“We are proud to share our vision of a more connected and sustainable world with American Airlines,” said Blake Shawl, founder, and CEO of BOOM, while announcing the agreement with American. “We believe Overture can help deepen its competitive advantage over network, loyalty, and overall airline preference through the paradigm-changing benefits of halving travel times.”

The Overture is meant to transport 65 to 80 passengers at double the speed of standard commercial planes, which may cover transatlantic journeys in 5 hours or more.

The Overture is projected to travel at 60,000 feet and attain a top speed of Mach 1.7, or 1304.36 mph. That’s somewhat slower than the now-retired Concorde’s 1,350-mile range, but it’ll deliver passengers from New York to London in 3.5 hours, according to the manufacturer.

Boom also claims to be the first aircraft builder committed to a carbon-neutral, sustainable programme, flying on “sustainable aviation fuel” 100% of the time.

“Looking into the future, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to deliver for our customers,” said Derek Kerr, American’s chief financial officer. “We are excited about how Boom will shape the future of travel for both our company and our customers.”